03-20-2010, 01:37 PM
The Cubs staff made their 2nd round of "cuts" yesterday, and I was a bit perplexed by a couple of articles on cubs.com yesterday, having to do with who was left/who was optioned.
The article that talked about who was optioned/cut yeterday said there was 42 players remaining at big league camp at the start of yesterday. Maybe this is a stupid question, but does that mean the staff only has 2 more players to cut in order to have a 40 man roster? Or, does the staff still have to cut down to 25 players from the 42 that are left now?
Also, the other article I didn't quite understand was the one talking about Jeff Gray running out of time to make it onto the roster when camp breaks (which in all likelihood will not happen due to his injury). In this article, they said there is realistically only 1 spot left in the Cubs bullpen, but I don't see how that is possible...I see there being 2 spots realisticaly open in the bullpen. The Cubs are going to start the season with 12 pitchers. 5 from the rotation. 2 pitchers (out of Gorzelanny, Silva, Marshall, Samardjiza) will be sent to the bullpen, so thats 7. Then there is the certain locks for the bullpen: Marmol, Grabow, Caridad..thats 10. That, in my opinion, leaves 2 spots open for the bullpen. Unless I am forgetting some big name bullpen pitcher, why would there only be 1 spot left.
Now, if there is really only 1 spot left I think the competition now is strictly between Parisi and Berg. Berg has certainly been quite impressive in a limited number of innings so far this spring, and Parisi has been overall, pretty good as well, and Parisi has pitched a few more innings than Berg as well. They both have minimal major league experience, and they both seem to have a lot of potential if they can pitch consistently. I just wonder if it came down to it, and there really only is 1 spot left, who they would keep to start the season? I think that if one or the other didnt have a complete meltdown before the final "cut" and the #'s stayed mostly the same (with a little give or take), that Big Lou would probably roll the dice with Parisi just because he has no options at all, whereas Berg does. Worse comes to worse, Parisi starts the season with the big league team, gets rocked, and then Berg is called up immediately. Comments?
The article that talked about who was optioned/cut yeterday said there was 42 players remaining at big league camp at the start of yesterday. Maybe this is a stupid question, but does that mean the staff only has 2 more players to cut in order to have a 40 man roster? Or, does the staff still have to cut down to 25 players from the 42 that are left now?
Also, the other article I didn't quite understand was the one talking about Jeff Gray running out of time to make it onto the roster when camp breaks (which in all likelihood will not happen due to his injury). In this article, they said there is realistically only 1 spot left in the Cubs bullpen, but I don't see how that is possible...I see there being 2 spots realisticaly open in the bullpen. The Cubs are going to start the season with 12 pitchers. 5 from the rotation. 2 pitchers (out of Gorzelanny, Silva, Marshall, Samardjiza) will be sent to the bullpen, so thats 7. Then there is the certain locks for the bullpen: Marmol, Grabow, Caridad..thats 10. That, in my opinion, leaves 2 spots open for the bullpen. Unless I am forgetting some big name bullpen pitcher, why would there only be 1 spot left.
Now, if there is really only 1 spot left I think the competition now is strictly between Parisi and Berg. Berg has certainly been quite impressive in a limited number of innings so far this spring, and Parisi has been overall, pretty good as well, and Parisi has pitched a few more innings than Berg as well. They both have minimal major league experience, and they both seem to have a lot of potential if they can pitch consistently. I just wonder if it came down to it, and there really only is 1 spot left, who they would keep to start the season? I think that if one or the other didnt have a complete meltdown before the final "cut" and the #'s stayed mostly the same (with a little give or take), that Big Lou would probably roll the dice with Parisi just because he has no options at all, whereas Berg does. Worse comes to worse, Parisi starts the season with the big league team, gets rocked, and then Berg is called up immediately. Comments?